STOCKPILE SAMPLING

COARSE AGGREGATE STOCKPILES

Coarse aggregates are recommended to be sampled using the following procedure.

1. Locate the area of the stockpile from which hauling will begin.
2. Using a front-end loader, dig into the stockpile and set aside a small pile of 10 to 15 t of material.
This should be done in the same manner as if a truck is being loaded for shipment (Figs. 2.1 and
2.2). When forming the small pile, the loader bucket should be as low as possible, and the
operator should roll the material from the bucket rather than dumping the material. Reducing the
distance the material is allowed to free-fall will reduce the amount of segregation that may occur
in the small pile (Fig. 2.3). Each additional bucket load of material should be taken and dumped
in the same manner as set out above, and should be placed uniformly over the preceding one.
(Fig. 2.4).
3. Thoroughly mix the small pile. Using the loader bucket, go to the end of the oblong pile and roll
the material over. Keeping the loader bucket as low as possible, push the bucket into the material
until the front of the bucket passes the midpoint of the original pile. The loader bucket should
then be slowly raised and rolled forward thus producing a smooth mixing of the material. (Figs.
2.5, 2.6 and 2.7). Go to the opposite end of the pile, and repeat this mixing procedure. If the pile
does not appear to be reasonably uniform, additional mixing should be done.

4. The pile is now ready for sampling. Do not strike off the top (Fig. 2.8). The sample will be taken
at the center of the volume which is approximately one-third of the height of the pile. The sample
shall consist of not less than 6 full shovels of material taken at equal increments around the pile
(Figs. 2.9, 2.10 and 2.11). The shovel shall be inserted full-depth horizontally into the material
and raised vertically. Care should be taken to retain as much of the material as possible on the
blade of the shovel (Fig. 2.12).